Image courtesy Mike McCune (CC BY 2.0 license) on Flickr. 2 Corinthians 5:19 …God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself… God made Man upright (Ecclesiastes 7:29), and very good (Genesis 1:31), but Man chose to sin against the Lord in heart, mind and in action. The first instruction of love – that man was not allowed to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil – given in the Garden of Eden was rejected with consequences. Our decisions affect those around us. God, being consistent with His nature, has to punish sin. Even as He had to protect the purity of the garden and future generations,…

Image courtesy Derek Bruff (CC BY-NC 2.0 license) on Flickr. Matthew 6:24 …ye cannot serve God and mammon. There were, in the days of Christ, some that yearned after the Lord, but desired or loved money and the things of this world secretly (as in the case of Judas Iscariot) or openly (as in the rich young ruler who walked away from Christ because of his riches.) This involved covetousness and greed. Satan wanted the worship of man more than ever before and therefore was willing to give the things of this world and its riches to anyone who would follow him. The Lord Jesus made it clear: ye cannot…

Image © 2011, Timothy Lee; used with permission. Romans 12:2 …be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The world has many attractions and allurements. She seeks to bring the Christian to her knees by offering the kingdoms of this world, saying, in essence, “if you will worship me, I will give you these kingdoms.” Many have fallen for the things of this world, many have been trapped by the snares of riches, pleasure and fame. However, did not the Lord Jesus tell us that we are…

Image © 2011, Timothy Lee; used with permission. 2 Timothy 4:2-3 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine… Donʼt preach to me” in modern day terms usually means “donʼt dogmatically tell me what I can or cannot do; donʼt correct me or command me to do something in line with a certain system of truth.” Yet, the Bible tells us that the word “preach” means “to cry publicly, a herald of divine truth.” We are to herald and cry out the truth. Timothy was exhorted to publicly…

Image © 2011, Timothy Lee; used with permission. Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. The Lord asks this question, “Are you going to make a place for me? All the things of earth are made by me: I am not looking for a place, I am looking for a person.” The world boasts of many so-called great and influential men. They are able to sway many by their words. There are many so-called megachurches…